This application relates to systems and methods for animating shapes in 2-dimensions with splines for use in electronic games.
Animation and modeling systems are available that enable artists to create high-quality content for use in electronic games. A variety of 3D scanning methodologies are used that capture real world shapes. These scanning methods are used with motion capture technologies to record complex performances.
Since the 1980s, 3D graphics hardware accelerators have been used to perform computer aided designs. As computers became more powerful, computers began to mimic moving characters such as lifelike characters in animation stories used in computer games. Most graphic accelerators used in video games employ hardware that quickly draws polygons to create 3-D animation.
Computer animation involves building an animated 3-D figure on a computer monitor that is rigged with a virtual skeleton. A full wire frame model is built on polygons that are formed using joints (also generally referred to as “bones”) that allow the model to deform into different position or poses. Surfaces such as skin, nose, ears, etc. are typically added during the rendering process using skinning systems.
A drawback to 3-D animation is that many games operate on a web browser or in a 2-D environment. Such environments do not have links into hardware to use polygon accelerators. In a mobile environment, hardware accelerators may be costly or drain power. Consequently, current 3-D skin drawing techniques are not applicable to the mobile platform or the web based platform.